The Bronx Zoo

November is an advantageous month to visit the Bronx Zoo. Though some of the attractions are closed for the season and many of the animals in hiding, the low density of screaming heathens more than compensates. The gorillas lay low and the Wild Asia Monorail is off its rails but there are still plenty of photogenic inhabitants roaming about.

The zoo, which opened in 1899 and boasts over 4,000 animals, is situated in the center of the Bronx, much like Central Park is to Manhattan, which means despite being momentarily convinced you are in the midst of a jungle, you can then round a corner and find yourself confronted by apartment buildings towering over the wilds. Which also means there must be nearby residents who can regularly glance out their living room windows at a meandering giraffe.


The southeastern Asia Gate entrance.


Asia Plaza.


Camels out of spitting distance.


The spotted hyena turned out to be awfully hard to spot. Eventually he emerged from his hiding place long enough for this shot.


Dwarf mongoose.


This one was a little shy.


The African wild dog flirts with endangerment by straying from the confines of Africa's national parks to nearby ranchland, where it finds itself at odds with armed ranchers.


Most giraffes despise tall jokes.


The Reptile House.


The Volcan Darwin tortoise was a key player in Darwin's formation of the theory of evolution after he observed the differences in subspecies among the Galapagos Islands


Tortoise wins by a hare.


A little boy worried about the strength of the glass between him and this gaboon viper. His parents assured him it was safe, but he sounded unconvinced.


I can only assume this is the same restless Egyptian cobra who caused the kerfuffle back in March when she pulled a Shawshank Redemption. She was found a few days later in a nonpublic section of the Reptile House.


Nile crocodile.


A stack of chuckwallas.


Gila monster.


Brown bear.






An alert polar bear named Tundra.








"Rawr."


The Zoo Center.


It was difficult convincing these ring-tailed mongeese to sit still long enough for a photo op.


A leisurely California sea lion.


In Germany the cottontop tamarin is known as "Lisztaffe" due to its resemblance to Hungarian virtuoso Franz Liszt.


Southern bald ibis.


Inca tern.


Tern on lookout.


Magellanic penguins.


The penguin in the center is poised in mid-trumpet. His cry sounded a little like a deflated Volkswagen.


American bison.


American flamingo.


The elusive snow leopard, hungrily eyeing a hapless photographer.


A fleet-footed red panda, who answers to the name of Bam Bam.


A peacock putting the moves on a fire hydrant.